Life On The Goldfields
BY SYLVIE
Women And Children
Miners bought their wives and sisters to cook and clean for them. Many white Australian and European women found new freedom on the goldfields, however indigenous women suffered terribly from the time the first rush of gold seekers swarmed onto their lands.
A goldfield was a dangerous place for a child. Some families did live on the diggings, and many children helped dig for gold.
Home On The Diggings
Back - Breaking Work
Mix Of Cultures
Diggers from all over the world usually worked together peacefully. People from the same country tended to pitch their tents close to one another, giving rise to names such as Irish Town or Frenchman Gully.
The discovery of gold brought a great rush of people to Australia. Most immigrant diggers came from Ireland, Scotland and England, but others came from North and South America, Europe and China.